Protests against Nupur Sharma: MHA tells police heads of states, UTs to remain 'alert and prepared'

New Delhi: Amid huge protests across the country against suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma over her derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad, the Union Home Ministry on Friday asked the police heads of states and Union Territories to be “prepared and alert” as they will be on target. The Home Ministry issued a statement to police in all states and Union Territory after several incidents of violence were reported from different parts of the country over the controversial remarks of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma and expelled leader Naveen Jindal against Prophet Muhammad.

News agency ANI cited a senior MHA official saying that the MHA sent alerts to all state and Union Territory police to remain vigilant as they can be targeted during the violence.

"We have asked the policemen deployed to maintain law and order situation to be in proper riot gear. There will be a deliberate attempt to disturb peace in the country. Police and, if required, the paramilitary will also need to be on alert mode to counter any untoward situation," the official said.

He added that several instructions have been issued to keep a watch on fringe elements posting provocative speeches. "We have asked state police to identify the influencers posting live videos of violence and provocative speeches. Take required action against such people," he added.

The MHA has asked all the states to take preventive actions, keep a check on borders and identified sensitive areas. The order has been issued after the violence broke out in Uttar Pradesh`s Prayagraj and protests were held at Moradabad, Saharanpur and Firozabad. 

Meanwhile, several other states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Punjab, Hyderabad, and Gujarat also faced massive protests against the leader`s controversial remarks. Protests erupted against the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad by two now-suspended BJP functionaries leaving a few policemen injured in stone-pelting and forcing security forces to resort to lathi-charge, tear gas shelling and firing in the air at some places.

Authorities in Jammu clamped curfew in a few areas and parts of the Kashmir Valley observed a shutdown while prohibitory orders were imposed in parts of Ranchi as slogan-shouting protesters carrying placards demanded the arrest of Nupur Sharma, a former BJP spokesperson, and Naveen Jindal, a former head of the Delhi BJP's media unit.

Most of the protests including at the historic Jama Masjid in Delhi broke out after the Friday prayers and several arrests were also made by the police. Hundreds of protesters massed outside Jama Masjid and some of them gathered on the steps of the mosque. However, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, distanced himself from the protests saying "nobody knows who the protesters were" and demanded action against such people.

In Uttar Pradesh, stones were pelted at policemen in Prayagraj and Saharanpur during the protests which were also witnessed in Bijnor, Moradabad, Rampur and Lucknow. In Prayagraj, some motorcycles and carts were set on fire and an attempt made to set ablaze a police vehicle, a police official said.

Prohibitory orders were imposed in parts of Jharkhand capital Ranchi after some policemen and others were injured while trying to control an irate mob near Hanuman temple on the city's Main Road.

Tension mounted in Jammu's Bhaderwah and some areas of Kishtwar prompting authorities to impose a curfew while parts of Kashmir observed a shutdown. Internet services were snapped in Bhaderwah and Kishtwar towns and Srinagar city as a precautionary measure. Mobile Internet was also suspended in parts of Kashmir, an official said.

Hundreds of protesters blocked roads in different parts of the Howrah district in West Bengal. Some agitators clashed with personnel at Dhulagarh, Panchla and Uluberia when they tried to lift the blockade on National Highway-6.

(With Agency Inputs)